Driver's ed in reverse
Published April 5, 2015
Editorial by Greenville Daily Reflector, April 4, 2015.
The North Carolina legislature’s move to redirect funding for driver’s education is among efforts to shore up the state Highway Fund while furthering a Republican agenda to shift more funding responsibilities to local governments. State Budget Director Lee Roberts, during a meeting with The Daily Reflector Editorial Board on Tuesday, confirmed those motivations behind the shifting of tax dollars away from driver’s education.
Roberts later confirmed that if Gov. Pat McCrory has his way, the requirement that North Carolina Schools provide driver’s education would not constitute an unfunded mandate. That is because there would be no such requirement under the governor’s budget bill.
Included in special provisions being drafted by Roberts’ office for the governor’s budget proposal is a measure to repeal the 62-year-old general statute requiring schools to provide driver’s education. With no state mandate or funding, most school systems would have little incentive for continuing their driver’s education programs.
Losing those programs not only could threaten hundreds of jobs related to driver’s education, it could make roads less safe, cause insurance rates to go up, and it could create hardship for families with young drivers who still would be required to complete an approved driver’s education course under the state’s Graduated Licensing program.
The strong potential for such negative results illustrates a lack of foresight behind the plan to end state support for driver’s education.
Mark Smith, director of operations for NC Driving School, said he believes school systems would elect not to provide driver’s education without a requirement under state law. “I would be very surprised if the House and Senate approved (dropping the mandate),” he said.
As the state’s largest driving school, the Winterville-based business employs 190 people and contracts with 37 school systems. Smith said the driving school would have a difficult time staying in business if the state no longer required schools to provide driver’s education.
Without a school-based program, Smith said citizens in rural areas would find it difficult to meet the driver’s education requirements for drivers under age 18. “Schools have the facilities and provide the necessary classrooms,” he said.
Roberts said Tuesday the state’s method of funding its highway budget through a gasoline tax alone is “structurally insufficient” and must be reformulated to draw upon multiple sources. He is right. But sacrificing driver’s education for the $27 million of tax revenue that funds it is a sorry start to that process.
Shrinking the reach of state government can have benefits, but if these cuts to North Carolina’s driver’s education program stand, taxpayers will pay more for less government.
http://www.reflector.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-drivers-ed-reverse-2837437
April 5, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Johnny Hiott says:
Hum....With Drivers education being one of the few things schools have done well in teaching it seems nonsensical to stop. Is this some sort of preparation to acclimate citizens of this state to the thousands of illegals obama has brought into the nation who will be issued driving
privileges with no knowledge of how to drive ? Not to mention their driving with no insurance in most instances. Someone should write a book titled "How to destroy America in less than eight years".
April 6, 2015 at 6:53 pm
Norm Kelly says:
So, is EVERY cut going to be met with disapproval? Is it just possible that libs were right when they ruled Raleigh? The budget truly had been cut to the bone even though it was going up every year? The budget was cut to the bone even though the state managed to fund the tea cup museum? Libs were right that it was necessary to increase taxes every year? Buying a lake rated ferry to operate in the ocean really was a wise use of taxpayer dollars? It fit well into the cut-to-the-bone budget?
Is it not possible for budgets to be cut ANYWHERE? Which cut would libs accept? Which cuts have libs proposed? Which cuts have libs supported? I know, I keep using the word 'cuts'. When it comes to libs, using the singular 'cut' is more appropriate. Which CUT has been endorsed, supported, or proposed by ANY lib? Which lib cut was actually a CUT in spending and not a cut in proposed increase? Proposing a 10% increase in a given line item, but accepting only an 8% increase IS NOT A 2% CUT! Libs always insist that it really is a cut, but it really is an increase.
So, it's time for libs to put our money where their mouths are. Start thinking. Come up with SOME budget item that can ACTUALLY, REALLY, TRULY be cut without libs going nuts! Using the rules put in place by libs, the gas tax is supposed to go down dramatically, reducing the states ability to spend money that they are actually supposed to be spending, creating deficits in some budget items. Republicans are attempting to prevent this shortfall, and all libs are doing is complaining! Have libs proposed an alternative to the gas tax reduction? Have libs proposed ANY alternatives to what Republicans are doing? Simple answer: NO!
How do I know libs have NOT proposed anything useful? I don't. So, I will use the same tactic used by libs when they lack information, or when they have information they don't like. I'll make up my own story. The libs in Raleigh have become the party of NO! No to anything Republicans are doing. No to anything Republicans propose. No to ANY budget line item cut. No to ANY tax reduction. No to anything that leaves more money in the pockets of those of us who earn it. Diff between my rant and the typical lib whine? Mine is based on facts, theirs is based on their fears and misinformation.
It's time libs stop being the party of NO and become the party with ideas & solutions. I won't hold my breath, based on what's coming out of lib-dom. And media types don't help either. All media types appear able to do these days is repeat the same whines coming from the lib party. Are media types getting the talking points memo from the lib party and simply reprinting it? Wouldn't be the first time! Ideas? Any lib? Any idea? (hearing only crickets, i'll stop for now!)
